Speakers Bureau

Do you need a speaker for your next club meeting, company retreat, or event? The faculty and staff at Penn State Beaver are available for a variety of speaking engagements, usually with no fee involved.

To arrange for a speaker, please review the following list of our speakers' topics and areas of expertise, then contact the Office of Campus and Community Relations at rxm70@psu.edu or (724) 773-3815.

Ms. Karen C. Barr, Senior Instructor in Business
Bachelor's degree, Nursing, Ohio State University
Master's in Business Administration: Corporate Finance, California State University
• Finance and Taxes
• Teaching at Penn State

Dr. Talha Harcar, Professor of Marketing
Bachelor’s degree, Marketing, Istanbul University (Turkey)
Master’s degree, Marketing Research, Istanbul University
Master’s in Business Administration, University of Massachusetts
Ph.D., Business Administration
• Marketing Research
• Database Marketing
• International Business
• Any topics on Turkey, Turkish culture and life

Mr. James Hendrickson, P.E., Instructor in Engineering
Bachelor’s degree, Mechanical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University
Master’s degree, Mechanical Engineering, University of Pittsburgh
Post M.S. Studies, University of Pittsburgh
Mr. Fred Kellinger, Lecturer in Business
Bachelor’s degree, Chemistry, Princeton University
Master’s degree in Business Administration, University of Pittsburgh
• Assistive Technology
• Cognitive Rehabilitation
• Starting / owning a Small Business
• Start-up Business
• Entrepreneurship

Dr. Kristen Olson, Associate Professor of English
Bachelor’s degree, English, Colby College
Master of Liberal Arts degree, English and American Literature and Language, Harvard University
Master’s degree, English and American Literature and Language, Case Western Reserve University
Ph.D., English and American Literature and Language, Case Western Reserve University
• Shakespeare
• English Literature
• Poetry
• Children’s Literature
• Fiction
• Literary / Critical Theory
• 16th and 17th century history and culture of England
• Anglo-Saxon and Medieval through modern British history
• Anglo-Saxon folklore
• Queen Elizabeth I (research specialty)
• Classical or Modern theatre
• Language and Linguistics
• Cultural Linguistics
• Cognitive Science pertaining to Language
• Relation of language and the visual arts

Dr. Robert Szymczak, Associate Professor of History
Bachelor’s degree, History / Education, West Virginia University
Master’s degree, History, West Virginia University
Master’s degree, Liberal Studies, Duquesne University
Doctorate of Arts, History, Carnegie Mellon University
Certificate of Study: Jagiellonian University, Krakow (Poland)
Fellowships: Yale University, Princeton University (twice), University of Pennsylvania
• Modern Eastern Europe
• U.S. Ethnic History
• U.S. Diplomatic History
• World War II
• The Cold War
• The Holocaust
• The Soviet Era

Dr. Irene A. Wolf, Senior Instructor in Philosophy
Bachelor’s degree, Philosophy and Psychology, College of St. Benedict
Master’s degree, Philosophy, Duquesne University
Ph.D., Philosophy, Duquesne University
• Diversity, culture, and advocacy
• Importance of altruism
• The art of happiness in life
• The good life and tolerance and patience in life
• Women’s issues
• Value of reflection and meditation in life

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